West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-11

Many Woman a. wen risssa fos she Gal
Iews - l1sn.


nota There are many ~ we'll httesi
for it ~ men, do not see any rea-
SON Why they should be denied the
rights Of the gallows! In all the de-
velopments of the age there is MOTH
ing more dramatic and admirable
than the march Of women from their
Oriental degradation to their mod
ern eminence. They we're slaves, ig-
norant ministers of pleasure, de-
graded and degrading. They are
now risen to eminencs Tor refinement,
virtue, social and religious infu-
ence.
Feeble tapers In the household,
they were forbidden to let their light
shine beyond its precints. Now the
light is at liberty 70 stream abroad
rs far as it csn reach. All the way
up from the age when they were but
the plaything Of the household their
right of development has been con-
tested. 1t would almost seem as II
religion and morality had set them
selves to keep women in the physio-
logical sphere. Their emancipation
| and moral development have taken
from them no delicacy, no refine
ment.
It has not been o strife to convert
women into men, but to develop wo-
manhood into its full disclosure.
They were women in bud; they are
women in blossom. They cannot be
deprived Of the essential quality OF
womanhood by enlargement OF their
sphere, by any degree Of intellectual
culture, by any normal function.
There is not the slightest danger
that delicacy, grace, clinging Of at-
fection, domesticity and all the
charms of motherhood will be lost
by unfolding in intelligence, public.
ity and variety in occupation.
II "a man has righ: to preach, 50
has q woman; to write, so has wo-
man; to teach, so has woman; to con.
duct farm or q commercial bust
ness, so has woman. If it is right for
man to enter the functions reserv-
ed for woman, to cook, to knit and
sew, 80 has . woman to perform .
name work. II he may turn nurse
she may turn physician. Each one
has fight TO do ell lawful things
which they are>sdapted to.
Each one has right to do all law.
ful things which they are adapted to.
If. then, q man has right to-
swear profanely, 80 has woman; to
steal, so has woman, to bear false
witness, so has woman; to commit
murder, so has u woman; to be ar
rested, tried, and convicted, so has
q woman! From the cradle to the
gallows, we claim for woman her full
schedule Of rights. Indeed, there
are some aspects in which hanging
woman is U more impressive spec
tacle than a swinging man!
| As long as men are to be hanged,
let no one deprive woman of the
privileges Of the gallows on the same
4 edifying conditions!
| But is it best to hang men2 do
not think it is. Is it best 70 hang
women? Is lit best to hang anybody?
Is the spectacle refining or brutaliz-
ing3 Ifit could be shown that hang
ing was the best disposition that
could be made of bad men, it should
be secret from the public. Itshould
be done in silence, in scclusion, with
no eye beholding but the officers OF
the law. The victim Of crime should
simply disappear. The gloating
eyes of morbid curiosity should have
no brutal spectacle Of hideousness
provided for them ut the public ex-
pense.
A certain amount Of physical re-
straint is indispensable in the present
state of civilization. But cruel and
barbarous penalties more and more
defeat their own aims.
The English people have wiped
out of their statute books q multi
tude Of savage laws and penalties.
No penalty has in it any benefit
which does not aim at least TO ben-
eft the criminal. Society is defend.
| ed from crime by the reformation Of
the criminal We have never tested
the possibilities OF reformation. We
never shall be able to establish 8
school OF reformation in prisons as
long as prisons are putinto the hands
Of politicians. So long as creatures
like "Fstty" Walsh are made the su-
perintendents Of prisons, we may de-
spair of criminals. But time will
come when, with all the resources OF
wealth, OF humanity and Of a true
religious spirit, something more may
be made Of criminals than q prison
education into fellowship with crime,
and something more than furnishing
the dissecting-room with subjects.
| HENRY WARD BRKcHER.
xo7E.
| Since / began to write these week
~ letters many Inquiries have reach.